PM Imran Postpones His Visit To UK Amid Troops Withdrawal

Prime Minister Imran Khan has postponed his visit to the United Kingdom (UK) which will be scheduled next month.

According to sources, the Prime Minister has decided not to visit the UK  in view of the internal, political and regional situation in the country.

Sources said that the Prime Minister has decided to monitor the completion of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, due to which he will not visit the United Kingdom next month, but the Prime Minister’s visit to the United Kingdom is likely to be scheduled by the end of this year.

According to sources, the Prime Minister was recently invited by his British counterpart Boris Johnson to watch the first match of the Pakistan-England series next month.

The sources added that the Prime Minister is likely to visit the UK later this year.

Earlier, the Foreign Office of Pakistan has categorically rejected the reports circulating in the media, saying that Pakistan has not provided any military or airbase to the United States.

Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said that Pakistan had not provided any base to the US Army or Air Force and no such proposal was under consideration.

He said that the ongoing speculations were baseless and irresponsible and should be avoided.

The Foreign Office spokesman said that since 2001, there has been a framework for cooperation between Pakistan and the United States for air communication and ground lines of communication and no new agreement has been reached in this regard.

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The US To Get Pakistan’s Air, Ground Access Even After Pulling Out Troops From Afghanistan

It should be noted that Pakistan gave the US military access to its airspace and land borders so that it could ensure its presence in Afghanistan.

A Pentagon official says Pakistan has allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access to ensure its presence in Afghanistan.

Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Affairs, David F. Helvey, told the US Senate Armed Services Committee last week that the United States would continue its talks with Pakistan because it has a key role to play in restoring peace in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon official was responding to a question from Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who asked him, “What are your assessments of Pakistan, especially its intelligence agencies? and the role you expect them to play in our future.”

“Pakistan has played a key role in Afghanistan, supporting the Afghan peace process, allowing us to use its airspace and maintaining ground access to maintain our military presence in Afghanistan,” said David F. Halvey.

“We will continue our dialogue with Pakistan to support and play a role in Afghanistan’s future and for peace in Afghanistan,” he said.

Diplomatic sources in Washington told one of the Pakistani newspapers that Pakistan has always given the United States to use its airspace and land access to maintain its military presence in Afghanistan and would continue to do so.

Last month, US President Joe Biden announced plans to withdraw all US and NATO forces from Afghanistan by September 11 this year.

The United States and the Taliban signed an agreement on February 29 last year to end the Afghan war and withdraw US troops after the longest US war.